YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron trained alongside members of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force Central Air Civil Engineering Group from Iruma and Hyakuri Air Bases and the Western Air Civil Engineering Group from Ashiya Air Base during a bilateral airfield damage repair training exercise at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Feb. 3–5, 2026.
The exercise focused on rapid airfield damage repair operations, with U.S. and JASDF Airmen assessing simulated runway damage, clearing hazards and restoring mission capability under contingency conditions while integrating tactical combat casualty care, unexploded ordnance recognition and simulated chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear conditions.
Designed to replicate working under real-world expeditionary conditions, the exercise required participants to operate within their normal chains of command while coordinating with supporting units across the installation when organic capabilities alone were insufficient.
“This training directly enhances our ability to operate alongside our partners in dynamic environments,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John Seaton, 374 Civil Engineer Squadron Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force manager. “By refining combined capabilities, we ensure we remain ready to respond together when the mission requires.”
Throughout the exercise, integrated teams completed scenarios requiring coordinated decision-making to support rapid airfield recovery and improve operational coordination between allied forces in the Indo-Pacific.
“This bilateral field training exercise builds on the mutual understanding developed through more than two years of RADR training with the JASDF CACEG,” said Hirano Yukihide, 374 CES defense and emergency management liaison. “The exercise enhances tactical-level interoperability, particularly in situations requiring disaster response support.”
Exercises like this demonstrate Yokota’s role as a hub for joint and bilateral operations and support U.S.-Japan readiness in the Indo-Pacific region.